First, we want to stress that all “do-it-yourself” attempts to fix or install residential plumbing are bad. It’s simply unwise to try this type of work unless you have the proper tools and training. But there are times when DIY jobs go past bad and become serious problems. Ask any professional plumber, and you’ll often hear the same story: the majority of repairs they make are due to amateur plumbing errors.
If you’ve never done any DIY work on your plumbing, you could still have troubles. A previous owner may have done some unlicensed repair or installation that you’ll end up having to deal with. No matter how cautious you are about only hiring professional plumbers in Burlington, VT, you still may need to call us to remedy some amateur mistake.
We’ve put together a list of the DIY problems we often must fix for our customers.
Now here’s an unpleasant problem you may run into during the last days of summer: an air conditioning system that doesn’t work because the compressor has died. The compressor is the literal heart of a cooling system, since it’s the component that causes refrigerant to circulate through the system, turning a cool low-pressure liquid into a hot high-pressure gas. When a compressor is fried because of a burnt-out motor, an air conditioner turns into nothing more than a large fan.
Ductwork is what originally allowed air conditioning and heating systems to spread conditioned air throughout a house, rather than concentrating it in one place. The earliest ducted systems were nothing more than metal pipes extending from basement furnaces (or even just fireplaces) that allowed heat to rise to different rooms in a building. Today, forced-air central AC and heating systems use powerful air handlers and efficient ducts to see that comfort is sent throughout a house.
The water main is as essential as household plumbing pipes get. After all, if you don’t have water piped into your house from the municipal water supply, you don’t have water in your house and you don’t have much use for a plumbing system at all!
We’ve addressed the topic of slab leaks on our blog before, but here’s a quick rundown. Slab leak is a professional plumbing term for any pipe leaks that occur down in the concrete foundation of a building. The term can sometimes apply to any pipe leak in hardscape or rock, but for the purposes of your home we’re using it for the hot and cold water pipes under your house.
Most households use more water than they should on a day-to-day basis. And that adds up to higher water bills on a month-to-month basis. Some of this water waste comes from bad habits (such as running the faucet while brushing your teeth rather than shutting the faucet off until you need it). Others are plumbing concerns that will require some assistance from your favorite local plumbing contractors—which we hope is us! If we’re not yet, we’ll soon be your favorite after you call for professional 
You know that leaky anything isn’t good. A leaky faucet or a leaky pipe in your house isn’t something you want. But surprisingly, homeowners often leave problems like household leaks without repairs. They tolerate a leaking kitchen sink faucet as long as it isn’t making too much noise. They probably aren’t even aware of pipe leaks because they’re hidden behind walls and in the ceilings, but they may also ignore warning signs of these leaks, such as water stains on drywall.
Remodeling older homes is a major industry today. There are entire magazines and hundreds of websites dedicated to how people can bring a tired, out-of-date house to sparkling modern new life. But this flashy remodeling may not be the remodeling your house needs the most. Behind the walls and under the floorboards are plumbing pipes that might be well past their prime and made from long-outdated metals. Replacing old pipes with new ones can rescue a home from numerous problems, including massive water waste, extensive water damage, and even toxic chemicals getting into drinking water.
You want your home to be an attractive place—for you, your family, and your guests. And there are few things less attractive in an otherwise well-ordered home than to see insects buzzing around a drain.
Unlike heating systems and air conditioners, the 
